As a serenade it was clumsy, lyrically it was awkward, but there is reason those travelling supporters from Tyneside reworded Wham’s Last Christmas to tell Yorkshire they had given their hearts to Rafa Benitez. It came yesterday in the 55th minute of an otherwise forgettable game, a rare moment of team brilliance that lit up an afternoon that was largely washed away in an endless downpour.

Benitez insists the only way to coax results out of his team is through micromanagement. It landed him the manager of the month award for November on Friday, and he celebrated by saying he would take it one game at a time. Nothing is flash.

He also said, tellingly, that every game would be a cup final for his…

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